The annual high school talent show is in its third year, and gives St. Mary students a chance to perform on stage while raising money for a good cause.

“It’s something we do every spring,” show organizer Kayleigh Skomoroski says. “We choose a different charity or goodwill project to focus our funds towards, what with it being the Lenten Season and all. We try and do it as our alms-giving project for the school, so this year it’s the mission.”

That mission involves a group of 11 current and former St. Mary’s students. They leave in July for Tanzania, a country of almost 50 million people on the eastern coast of Africa, to work with C.PP.S Mission Projects. The goal is to help provide clean drinking water to communities in need and they need to raise $25,000 to do it.

Skomoroski says the combination of talent shows and fundraising was a natural one.

“I wanted to do a variety night or talent show opportunity for the kids and then doing an event like that usually leaves an opportunity to raise money for something,” she says.

Typically the talent show attracts around 20 performers from the school, and there are always plenty of surprises. Skomoroski says she’s usually aware of who likes to perform and who doesn’t. However, there are always a few unexpected students who impress her.

“It’s always interesting doing auditions,” she says. “Being the music teacher I’m pretty familiar with most kids that are into performing and that kind of stuff in the school, but the auditions for St. Mary’s Got Talent always brings out kids that I’ve never seen before or have never really had a chance to share their talent with the student body.”

For the most part, organizing the talent show is quite simple. It’s been relatively easy this year, although co-ordinating schedules can be difficult.

“There are lots of things going on right now with music festival and other things happening in the city,” Skomoroski says. “It’s been tough just getting the students ready and prepared to go but they always tend to pull it together so they should be doing all right.”

Now organizers and students alike are eagerly anticipating the performance date and the 150 to 200 patrons who are expected to show up.

For her part, Skomoroski says it’s always exciting to see what the students have to offer.

“It’s always fun finding those hidden gems within the student body. There are always a few kids that are newcomers or that are stepping out into the spotlight for the first time.”

Tickets for the event are available at the door for $2. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. in the St. Mary lecture theatre.